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| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1007 Registered: 9-2006  |
I find it quite interesting as I studied my way “into Adventism” so to speak and then on to discovering the “Former Adventist” through Dale mentioning Colleen’s name. It is an interesting fact that up until the time I communicated with Dale Ratzlaff and him mentioning Colleen’s name, at the time I thought he was a loner or some such I suppose and just previous to communicating with him I did not know there was such a thing as a “Former Adventist” although this has been a five year journey, anybody know how long I have been on this forum? The nearest to last post I could find was Oct. 2006. It is an interesting thing also that God seems to have placed the former Adventist into different denominations or (scattered them). Of course one could put this all down to happenstance and incidental to their location and situation, I personally can’t much go with that. Pretty much all the post, although I haven’t went back and studied them seems to cover the same ground or the same “themes” so to speak, of course that is to be expected since this a forum for former Adventist and their concerned families and folk working their way out of Adventism. At any rate I have been on here nearly a year I guess and so naturally one begins to get a sense of pattern of what the post (overall) consists of. As I have mentioned in the past about the only thing caused me alarm on here was the tendency for many to hang on to the flotsam and jetsam of Adventism, not that my alarm about that has anything to do with anything. I am trying to get to the meat of this post but seemed like I needed to recap a little bit here my own experience with reading past post. Much has been covered on the writings of E.G.W. and the effect she has had on Adventist which just by the way I think Adventism is EGW and EGW is Adventism no matter what strain of Adventist the Adventist hails from. It is just my opinion and I expect it to count for nothing. What I find particularly interesting at this time is this. Much has been written about the dreaded “Sunday laws” and what got me to thinking along these lines was Gilbert’s post number 357 and his quote from EGW, Part of that quote was this “"We are on the very verge of the time of trouble, and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of are before us. Now of course she goes of into some drivel about “Sunday laws and persecution of the Adventist for attending church on Saturday. Now I can get down to what I find interesting if I haven’t already lost you to boredom. What I find interesting is this, that I have never heard anyone discuss the tribulation much. Do you believe that the great tribulation is ahead or behind us? Do you believe there will be a rapture of the church just prior to the tribulation great tribulation if in fact you believe there is too be one. If so are you post trib, pre trib, or mid trib? What do you think of the “left behind series” put out by Tim Lahaye? In the Bible time line, front to back, where would you put us? I can tell you that most of my Adventist friends sneer at the pretrib rapture theory and thay think Tim Lahaye is of the devil pretty much. In fact they don’t believe in a rapture at all as described by Paul in 1 Cor. 15:51-52. Now me personally, my theology changes in bits and pieces over time as I study the word. Right after I first was saved I studied prophecy intently for some years and I pretty much have my mind settled on what I believe will take place, but that may change tomorrow so I am just curious as to where some of you have landed on this subject after emerging from Adventism since you seem to have landed in different churches. I can tell you this, I believe she was exactly right with that one line quoted. The problem of course is all the other drivel she went into about Adventist persecution. River P.s. By the way, none of my Adventist friends said “Happy Sabbath” this morning, much to my relief, if I hear that word too many more times, I just might explode. I am finding myself more and more aggravated with the word. I do need your prayers that I can continue too act in a Christian manner around them. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 6238 Registered: 12-2003  |
River, interesting observation. I believe former Adventists don't talk much about the tribulation because eschatology was the heart of Adventisms grip of fear on us. The IJ and the Great Controversy are all about what happens at the end. The Time of Trouble was when "they" would hunt and kill us. We all feared Jesus' second coming. To discover that Ellen was just plain wrong about it all is so overwhelming and such a relief—the very thought of "going there" again is terrifying. I know formers who have physical reactions and psychological reactions to the idea of studying the book of Daniel in Christian settings. It's terrifying. Those who have been out for several years, however, slowly begin to look again. I know that a number of formers embrace the Reformed tradition that essentially teaches replacement theology and amillennialism. Others begin to see things more and more from a modified dispensational view, seeing that Romans clearly teaches a time when God will awaken Israel and regraft her remnant back into the olive tree of God. Others just "float" in a sort-of relieved indecision. I do believe that God begins to bring this issue into focus for us as well. I admit I'm not "set in cement" on this issue—but after spending a couple of years going through Romans 9 through 11, I'm convinced that those OT prophecies concerning Israel just can't be written off as conditional promises for Israel. It's interesting that when people say God's promises for Israel are now for the church, they claim the blessings but none of the cursings. Colleen | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 1013 Registered: 9-2006 |
That pretty much explains why I haven't seen it discussed Colleen and thanks. I can see where the ex-adventist would steer clear of that. While I myself can study prophecy without fear or dread, I just lost the keen sense of interest in it because there were much more weighty matters for me to ponder, I do enjoy the study of it however. Like you I am not set in cement but the outlook hasn't changed much over the years from my early studies. River | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3943 Registered: 3-2004  |
I used to be scared silly whenever I read about what God allowed to happen to the CoI when they disobeyed and when I read Daniel and Revelation, with the SDA mindset. Sometime after I entered my 12 step program I decided that what ever happened in the future, I was going to trust God to care for me. After all doesn't Matt 6 say not to worry about the future. Since becoming a born again Christian, I have read Daniel and Revelation and Isaiah and they did not scare me. But I still will let God take care of the future. All I can handle is one day at a time and I need God and His Holy Spirit to do that. He is so awesome. Diana | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 503 Registered: 11-2004 |
It has been 8 years since I left and I am still in a state of indecision regarding eschatology. It was the focus of much of my study for sooo long that I am still enjoying the rest in not studying it  I lean towards the pre-trib rapture, but if I'm wrong its no big deal. Whether or not I go through tribulation I can rest in His arms. As a SDA I thought the rapture folks were so ignorant because it was obvious that the second coming was going to be loud and seen by everyone. I had no idea that those who believed in the rapture believe the rapture and the second coming were 2 different events. They never told us that one, but I sure heard tons against the secret rapture. I view Left Behind as fiction. | ||
| Wolfgang Registered user Username: Wolfgang Post Number: 147 Registered: 10-2005 |
I'll have to read Romans Collen and study that out,thanks for the post on it. What I was taught is that God's ppl are "spirtual Israel" and that the country itself realy has nothing to do with anything. Although to be honest since walking away from the SDA church I havent studied it like maybe I should? I dont beleive in the left behind theroy. What I have told myself is what does any of it really matter,I trust that God has me protected no matter what the big plan is.Dawn |
